Digital Pianos versus Acoustic Pianos: Which is right for you?

Buying a piano is a big investment, so before you go shopping you should think carefully about whether your preferences and lifestyle are more suited to acoustic or digital pianos.

Choosing the right piano has become far more complicated than it once was. Whilst it may take a little longer to find the perfect type, make and model of piano, if you choose carefully you should be able to get something that is the perfect match for you, your budget and lifestyle.

To begin narrowing down your search, the first thing you should decide is whether you’d like an acoustic piano or digital piano.

Key differences between acoustic and digital pianos

Acoustic pianos use felt-covered hammers and steel wire strings to make sounds, where as digital pianos play sound samples back through their speakers.

Acoustic pianos are touch sensitive, touch sensitivity in digital pianos will depend on the model.

What is your musical style?

If you’re a classical musician a high quality acoustic sound is probably all you need. If you play modern music or like to experiment, then you will enjoy the variation in sounds and styles that a digital piano can offer.

When will you be using the piano?

Think about your home, the people living close by, and the hours that you’ll be likely to use your piano. If you’re going to struggle to concentrate on your music because of background noise, or if you’re likely to disturb others with your playing, then you may wish to consider a digital piano. Plugging headphones in to a digital piano allows for better concentration in noisy environments and helps you to immerse yourself in your music without disturbing those around you, no matter what the time of night or day!

Your level of experience

Some beginners prefer to learn on digital pianos because of the flexibility and extra learning opportunities that it offers. Some digital pianos have apps built-in to help you learn, and others can be plugged into a computer to use learning software packages.

The best of both worlds

Silent upright pianos

If you want to have your cake and eat it too then you can enjoy the best of both worlds with a silent upright piano like those made by Yamaha. Silent upright pianos can be played acoustically or switched to silent mode to play digitally with headphones in when more convenient.